Simon Marshall commentary on Rory Sutherland's call for better consumer insight was featured in this weeks edition of Campaign (15/5/09).
"Rory Sutherland is spot on in his argument that we need broader insights into consumer psychology to create advertising that works (Campaign, 1st April).
Consumer behaviours and attitudes towards brands are changing faster than ever. In the past we have often assumed certain ‘truths’ about human behaviour that have in turn influenced our marketing and advertising strategies for decades such as the idea that we are all individuals, when in fact we are typical ‘herd’ animals and eager to follow the masses. Yes, certain assumptions we make have the benefit of being consistent, convenient and susceptible to conventional market research, but the growing body of psychological and behavioural research into consumers shows them to be flawed.
Now more than ever, we need to investigate broader insights into consumer psychology and remind ourselves of the emotional truths at the heart of consumer and shopper behaviour, and the origins of marketing in empirical, behavioural sciences. In today's climate consumers may be more susceptible to targeted messaging and be more responsive to emotive messaging than ever before, particularly if the tone of the message resonates with the audiences current mindset. This presents brands with a golden opportunity to create more powerful connections with consumers."